Women forgive infidelity easily, men don't

London: On the other hand, only one in ten men would stay with a woman who had strayed, according to a survey.A UK survey found that more than six in ten women would forgive two relationship 'errors' - which include infidelity, excessive flirtatious behaviour or romantic neglect.

They would, however, dump their man after three such errors. The poll of 2,000 British men and women, by Dr Beckmann, found that 53% women would give their partners another chance as long as the cheating was a one-time thing and didn't involve a prolonged affair. But only 13% of men would stay with their partner if they discovered they had been cheated on. Some 89% of the 2,000 men and women surveyed said unfaithfulness was the most difficult problem to recover from in a relationship.

Lack of intimacy and romance, and partners spending too much time with their friends or at work, are also among the top bugbears from men and women in relationships. 38% of all current British relationships have endured infidelity of some kind, according to the study.

The major reason cited for the relationship's subsequent survival is that, following the infidelity, both partners have agreed to be "honest, frank and open about their feelings".